What Home Remedy Will Keep Cats From Scratching Furniture?



You do not know how to teach a cat not to scratch furniture?

Do you know what home remedy will keep cats from scratching furniture?

You are in the right place!

Here you will learn what you can do to save your furniture from your cat scratches, and how to train your cat to be calm and not sharpen its claws where it must not.

cat on the sofa

Best Home Remedy Which Will Keep Cats From Scratching Furniture

1.Trim Claws

One of the easier ways you can control your cat from destroying your furniture is to cut off its claws. It is a simple process, but if you are not sure how to do it, it is best to ask a more professional person to do it for you. If you cut claws too much, you can harm the cat. At the top of the claw are capillaries, which if you cut can damage and thus cause the cat pain. The nail clipper is the device that will cut claws most easily. They grow fast so you need to take care of them regularly. When you cut your cat’s claws, cats will scratch less because they would not have anything, and they can not do much damage with such claws. Be gentle and careful if you cut your cat’s claws because they can easily become aggressive and scratch you. If bleeding from the claws occurs, try to stop the bleeding and disinfect the wound. It would be good if someone would check the damage and teach you how to cut them properly.

2.Scratching Post

One way you can stop a cat from scratching furniture is to buy her a toy that she can scratch. There are various scratching posts that you can place near her bed to keep it close to her, so she would not scratch other furniture. You may find it harder to get your sword used to the scratching toy, but you need to be persistent. Place it not far from the cat or near the place where it used to scratch. For example, in front of the curtain. Traditionally this scratching post has a swinging toy on top so it intrigues the cat to start scratching it. This device can be placed upright, but also lying down. Some cats will prefer to lie down and sharpen their claws, while others will prefer to jump on this scratching post and walk around it.

3.Double Sticky Tape

You have probably noticed that cats don’t like anything sticky near their fur, nor near their claws. They will successfully bypass everything sticky in their path because it bothers them. So one of the tricks you can do to prevent the destruction of furniture is just with duct tape. You can buy duct tape in a lot of stores, but it would be best if you bought a nu that is sticky on both sides. Next, stick the tape on the furniture that your cat is scratching. Glue only the parts where it scratches to prevent further damage. The cat will not immediately notice that you have taped the tape but will feel it. After a few tries, she will give up scratching because she won’t like the sticky claws. You can also use plain tape, but then you will have more to do with stacking it. If your cat continues to scratch, buy more duct tape, or make sure this one is worn out. 

4.Water

This is one of the easiest ways you can stop a cat from scratching furniture and the cheapest home remedy that will keep cats from scratching furniture. You will need a spray bottle and water. Fill the bottle with water and keep it near you. When you notice that the cat is starting to scratch, use a bottle and spray the cat with a little water. All cats are similar in one thing, they do not like water. Your cat should run away from that place and stop the action. If scratching continues, use water a few more times until it stops. But if your cat is persistent there are several other ways you can stop her. Do not water your cat with too much water, and watch the water temperature so as not to injure or make her ill. The cat does not like water because it is wet and ruins its fur quickly. You can also add additional ingredients to the water to increase efficiency. This method has proven to be the most efficient and also the cheapest. The only downside to this method is that the cat, spraying with water, may associate it with you. This means that when you leave the house, the cat can continue scratching. So be persistent, and try spraying your cat only when she starts scratching, to connect the actions and know she should not do it.

5.Spray Water And Apple Cider Vinegar

There is another effective spray, but it is not sprayed directly on the cat. You must spray this spray on the areas that the cat is scratching. All you need are two ingredients, water, and apple cider vinegar. Add the same amount of water and apple cider vinegar to the spray bottle. Spray the furniture with this mix and watch your cat’s reaction. Cats don’t like the smell of apple cider vinegar, so they will probably walk away from that place and not scratch it anymore. And do not worry, this spray would not harm either your cat or the furniture. You can also spray the cat with this spray, but not on the head. If you spray the cat with this every day, you will keep the fleas away. But you have to be careful with this mix. Do not give your cat to drink these ingredients, as they can cause side effects. Follow how your cat reacts to apple cider vinegar. Some of the bad symptoms that can occur are; vomiting, diarrhea, pain, and oral irritation. Vinegar is also great if you want to clean algae from fish tanks.

cleaning

6.Spray Citrus

Another spray that will help you is a citrus spray. It is easy to make, and cats will run away from its smell. Prepare it by taking a lemon or an orange and peeling them. Then put the crust in a pot of water and simmer for about half an hour. After sautéing, you have to drain everything well so that no small pieces remain. Pour the resulting liquid into a container, and spray the liquid on the places that your cat is scratching. Cats do not like this smell and will quickly run away from it. But there is a problem. This liquid is a very good cleaning agent, so there is a possibility that it will change the color of your furniture. A lot of people use essential oils for this purpose, but it is not a good solution as it can harm the health of your cat as well as other pets.

7.Cover Area

One of the easiest ways you can protect your furniture is to cover it or protect it with appropriate equipment. Aluminum foil can help protect you, as can plastic foil. The only difference is that it will be easier to place the plastic foil, and it will stay in place. When the cat starts scratching it will not move, while the aluminum one will move easily. You can wrap some items more than once if the foil is too thin. Also, sometimes it is enough to lean or place an object on the part being scratched to make the cat forget that it was scratching there. For example, place a table on the part of the rug that the cat is scratching, or cover with a slipper until the cat stops working.

8.Play With Cat

When your cat starts scratching, try to distract her. Various toys can help you with that, as well as other devices in your home. Give her a little attention, anoint her, play with her. You can buy her a battery-powered mouse, or ball-shaped toys, to run after them around the apartment. You can also play music to calm them down, or play a TV show, but not too loud. It is important to divert their attention from scratching to something else. Of course, this method will work until your cat gets bored again, and until he intends to sharpen his claws again. You can buy toys in various stores and online. Catnip is one of the things you should buy. Most often, every cat reacts to these aromas and plays them quickly. You can also bring another pet to play with. For example, if your cat and dog are on good terms and your dog sleeps in a crate with the door open, you can invite the cat to him to play or to rest with him. The cat will be calmer and more obedient in the presence of the dog.

9.Access 

And of course, the method that will surely work is to reduce access to your cat. That means you do not let her go to every room. For example, if you can’t teach her not to scratch the bed in your room, don’t let her into your room for a while. You can also keep it in a room where it will not do much damage. But if you do not want to take her away from those rooms, place boxes around items that the cat is scratching. Maybe after a while, the cat will calm down, so you will be able to let her go to all the rooms without fear.

10.Gently Scold

One way to stop your cat from scratching your furniture is to try to teach it what it can and cannot do. So for example, when you notice that a cat has gone to scratch the furniture you tell her in a sharp tone no and take her to the place they are scratching so she can connect those actions. You can also try hiss on a cat, similar to how they work, to recognize an unwanted procedure. Be careful this way because your cat may start to be afraid of you if you are too sharp or rough. Don’t be too strict with your pet, and train it as often as possible.

To Sum Up

Here you could read what home remedy will keep cats from scratching furniture. You could find a couple of solutions. The easiest way is to put water in a spray bottle and spray the cat when it starts scratching. Also, take care of the cat, cut its claws and they will then be weaker and not so sharp. You can make several types of sprays, but you have to be careful in how much you spray. Try training your cat to know what actions she should not do. Finally, you can purchase a scratching post such as a corrugated cardboard cat scratcher or cat hammock scratching post.



Joana
Joana has graduated in Linguistics in 2014. and began her work experience as a journalist and freelance writer. Her professional writing experience, as well as experience with pets, brought her to Petovly where she’s an editor. Working on the site, she collaborates with vets and animal shelter workers she has met when she was volunteering as a student. This experience made her an expert in pets’ care, breeds, and diseases.